The one and only
by Dopeshieet
Summary: A night spent in the arms of Edward Cullen! it happened to Bella- but not without the leading T.V. actor thinking she was a married women with a string of lovers! in reality Bella was a provincial librarian. can she convince Edward that?
1. Prologue

**The one and only**

**By dopeshieet.**

**" We have unfinished business."**

The only unfinished business she was aware they had was the time she had spent in his arms- and she certainly had no intention of finishing that! "I dont think so." Bella shook her head. What did Edward Cullen think she was? Did he really believe she was a woman who had a string of lovers? And did he want to be one of them?

"I want you, Bella." Edward spoke almost angrily.

"I've tried to put you out of my mind, but it just isn't possible. I want you. And i intend to have you. Exclusively,' he added grimly.

Bella stared at him. He didn't want to be _one_ of her lovers, he wanted to be _the_ one- and the _only_ one!

**Please review tell me what you **


	2. Chapter 1

The one and only

By dopeshieet

Chapter 1

What a bore!

God, how had she ever got herself into this? She hadn't - Emmett had got her into it. As usual. It was typical of Emmett: he had been getting her into one scrape or another all their lives.

It had all sounded so simple when he had explained it to her a couple of weeks ago. She should have known then- nothing was ever simple where Emmet was concerned.

First prize in a Valentine competition. A week's stay in a luxurious hotel, plus a show and supper on Valentine's night with a television star.

'Its marvellous, Emmett,' Bella had told him distractedly when he called round for dinner with her one evening.

'Bad day at the library?' Emmett had quirked curious brows at her, brown eyes alight with mischief. Again, as usual.

How could anyone have a 'bad day' working in a library? And yet, as Emmett very well knew, too many of Bella's working days were fraught with tension. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers- and she needed the job. Even with all its problems.

Her grimace in Emmett's direction, as he had leant so casually against one of the kitchen units as he watched her prepare their meal, had told its own story.

'You should have left months ago-sorry.' Emmett had held his hands up apologetically as Bella glared up at him warningly. ' I know i promised after-well, after, that i wouldn't say i told you so---' 'And you have done nothing but since!' she had snapped, her eyes sparkling dark brown. 'Only because you will insist on sticking it out wasting your love on someone who... Well, this competition is just what you need to cheer you up.' He had hastily changed the subject as he saw the light of battle in Bella's eyes.

At five feet two she might be a foot shorter than he was, but he knew that, if he pushed too much, the temper that matched her red/ brownish hair would certainly surface. It might take time, but it did surface.

'Cheer me up?' she frowned as she realized what he had said. 'What does it have to do with me?' 'Well, I can hardly go on this week's holiday, to the show and then supper, so I naturally thought you might like to go instead of me. And-'

'Just stop there, Emmett,' Bella interrupted drily, abandoning the dinner for a moment, sensing that she needed to give the whole of her attention to what Emmett was saying--otherwise she could, as she had many times in the past, find herself in a situation she would rather not be in.

The two of them were siblings, but they're parents were always busy working, they had spent most of their time just the two of then. And Bella had spent most of that time getting Emmett out of the scrapes he had managed to get himself into, or ones he had embroiled her in. Life without Emmett, she had decided long ago would be alot lonelier, but it would also be a lot more trouble-free. And she sensed one of Emmett"s impending scrapes...!

'Why can't you go on the holiday, Emmett?' She looked at him searchingly, not fooled for a moment by the innocent expression on his boyishly handsome face. With his dark curly hair, laughing brown eyes and rakishly handsome face, Emmett had a look of uncomplicated innocence- but Bella knew, from experience, that it was just a look. 'And to the show and supper afterwards? I would have thought it would have been just up your street to go and wallow in the lap of luxury, to go out for the evening with some beautifully ravishing television star, on Valentine's night, of all nights.

You-----'

'The television star is Jacob Black, Bella,' Emmett cut in drily.

'Jacob Black?' she repeated frowningly. 'But Jacob Black is a-----'

'Man,' her brother finished impatiently. 'Of course he's a man!'

A rather attractive one too, as Bella recalled. He was the actor appearing regularly in a popular detective programme on Friday evenings. 'How on earth did you manage to win an evening out a man?' Bella decided she had either missed something in the earlier conversation, or Emmett was keeping something back. And, knowing Emmett as she did, she thought she knew which one it was! He looked more than irritated now. 'Well, if you must know...'

'Oh, I think I must,' She nodded derisively. ' I entered a competition in one of those women's magazines Rose is always reading. And I won the damned thing!' he added disgustingly.

Rose was Emmett's steady girlfriend of the last year, if the word 'steady' could be apllied to the stormy relationship they both seemed to enjoy. ' I told her the damned things were all a con, that no one ever actually won anything in them,' Emmett continued disgruntedly as Bella stared at him.

'And you won,' Bella's lips twitched as she made an effort to hold back her humour. 'First prize!'

'Yes!' he bit out impatiently. 'And the people who ran the competition assumed Emmett Swan was a woman-----'

'Well, they would--- when the prize was Valentine's night out with a handsome hunk!; Bella knew she wasn't going to be able to contain her laughter much longer--- the humour of the situation was just too much.

He glared at her. 'Don't rub it in!'

She chewed on her top lip to stop the throaty laughter from erupting. ' And just where you and Jacob supposed to be having this intimate dinner for two?' Emmett had really done it this time.

But then, he had never done anything by halves. 'In London,' he snapped. ' But we aren't --- you and he are!' Emmett looked at her challengingly. She shook her head, repressed laughter making her eyes appear an even deeper brown than usual.

'I don't think so.'

'I can't go!' her brother wailed.

'Well, obviously not,' Bella conceded, openly smiling now. 'But Rose could-----'

'No way!' Emmett instantly protested. 'Do you think I'm stupid enough to let my girlfriend go out for the evening, especially that evening, with a lech like Jacob Black is reputed to be?'

Bella raised auburn brows, brows much darker than the fiery-coloured hair she wore confined when at work, but preferred to leave loose about her shoulders at other times. 'But it's all right to send your little sister out for the evening with him?' she added drily.

'My only sister,' he corrected distractedly. 'And my favorite sister, of course,' he added at her openly mocking expression. 'I'm going to look so stupid if it ever comes out that I entered a competition in a women's magazine----'

'Maybe you should have thought of that earlier,' she pointed out reasonably.

'Bella, you know I would do the samefor you if the positions were reversed,' he persisted wheedlingly.

'The answer is no, Emmett,' she told him dismissively.

'Oh, please, Bella.' He looked at her pleadingly.

Bella knew that look only too well--- and the trouble it could get her into. 'I said no, Emmett,' she repeated firmly.

Which was why she was here now, pretending to be Emmett Swan for the week!

The hotel was as luxurious as Emmett had promised it would be, and she had enjoyed the little she had seen of London since her arrival yesturday. But Jacob Black, far from being the interesting individual Emmett had persuaded her he would be, was one of the most boring people, male or female, she had ever met in her life!

Rose had lent her a dress to wear for the evening; in fact,Rose had provided most of the clothes Bella had brought with her, after looking through Bella's wardrobe and declaring its contents were much too librarianish. Bella's protests of that being exactly what she was had been met with little sympathy, let alone understanding. And with Emmett as well as Rose to argue against, each of them as determined as the other, Bella hadn't stood a chance, and had arrived at the hotel yesturday with two suitcases full of Rose's expensively flamboyant clothing. As a model, Rose often managed to buy her clothes cheaper than she might otherwise have done, and she usually chose the clothes that would most her noticed.

As with the dress Bella was wearing this evening. It was unlike anything she had ever worn, or dreamt of wearing, in her life before. She had to admit that the blue shimmering material made her eyes appear even deep in colour, and her brown hair shimmering as it fell loosely to just below her shoulders.

But the dress also clung to the slender length of her body, finishing abruptly several inches above her shapely knees. But of the evening gowns Rose had provided, this was the least revealing-- the black one was backless, and the red one virtually frontless!

But she needn't have worried about the allure of the dress; Jacob Black was far too interested in himself to notice what Bella was or wasn't wearing.  
She also had the feeling that he might have enjoyed the company of the real Emmett Swan more than hers.

As it was, he hadn't stopped talking about himself since the representative of the magazine had introduced the two of them earlier this evening in the foyer of Bella's hotel.

The only time he had given his ego a rest was when they were actually watching the show, and even then he had wasted little time, after they had left their seats during the interval, before beginning to criticise the actors in the show, at the same time making it plain he could do better job of all parts, male and female, than his fellow actors and actresses were doing.

And supper after the show, for all it was in one of the most famous restaurants in London--- Bella recognized several of the diners as actors, or faces she had seen in the daily newspapers-- was turning out to be just as much of a nightmare.

Bella was going to strangle Emmett when she got home at the weekend. This had to be the longest evening of her life!

And what made it worse was that several of the other women dining here were actually eying her enviously for her companion of the evening; as far as Bella was concerned, any one of them was welcome to the egotistical idiot!

'... and so I told the director that if that was all he wanted to go and hire himself a performing monkey...'

Bella faded in, and as quickly faded out again of the one-sided conversation at their table, deciding as she did so that the director had probably known when he was talking to Jacob Black that he had hired a performing monkey. Although a monkey would probably have had more intelligence than Jacob Black seemed to have. Bella pitied any woman who had to spend more than one evening in this man's company. Thank God she wasn't one of them. He--

'... to introduce me to your dining companion, Jacob?'

Bella had been in danger of falling asleep with her eyes open, but the different timbre of voice, this one velvety deep, broke out of her inner torment, and she turned curiously in the direction of that voice. Any diversion had to be welcome.

And this wasn't just 'any diversion', she quickly realised, instantly recognising the man who now stood so confidently beside their table as the man who played the part of Jacob's boss in the detective programme: Edward Cullen.

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**Author notes:**

**Hi fellow readers, i hope you like it. it took me all night and yesturday to complete the next chapter. please review and tell me what you think.**

**If i don't get that much reviews im going to not complete this story.**

**take care.**

**toutai.  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**THE ONE AND ONLY**

**By: Toutai aka dopeshieet.**

**Chapter 2**

This man was actually the real star of the television series Jacob Black seemed to feel would fall apart without the aid of his so-brilliant acting.

And Bella should know--- she had been listening to just how wonderful Jacob thought he was for the last four hours.

But Edward Cullen really was a true talent, star of numerous television series over the last fifteen years. He had made his big break into Hollywood ten years ago, returning there periodically to star in films that were inevitably box-office hits. But he remained true to his native England, preferring to make his home there, occasionally making appearances on the West End stage in plays destined to be success simply because Edward Cullen deemed them worthy of his time and talent.

But the last thing Bella needed was another ego-maniac to join them and bore her to sleep!

Bella knew Edward Cullen was in his late thirties---older than Jacob Black by at least ten years.

He was well over six feet tall, with reddish bronze hair, smoldering deep green eyes,that, as Bella looked up at him, she could see contained intelligence. Maybe she wasn't going to be bored, after all...

Jacob had risen to his feet hurriedly at the sound of the other man's voice, some of that overbearing self-confidence leaving him as he shook the older man by the hand, evidence that even he bowed to the older man's superior talent. 'Edward,' he greeted, a little too enthusiastically. 'I didn't know you came to places like this.' He looked pointedly around the noisy restaurant.

'I'm not in my dotage, Jacob,' the other man drawled derisively.

The younger man's cheeks were slightly flushed.

'No, of course not. I just... well, I didn't think... It's good to see you, Edward,' Jacob finished lamely.

'Is it?' the older man drawled, dark brows raised mockingly.

Bella looked more intently at Edward Cullen; he obviously shared her opinion that Jacob was an idiot, and he made to attempt to hide his disdain for the younger man. Which posed the question: why had he bothered to come over to their table at all if he felt that way about Jacob?

As he turned that probing green gaze in her direction, Bella suddenly knew exactly why.

There was no mistaking the admiration in that gaze as it swept over her appraisingly. Bella felt a quiver of awareness down her spine as she seemed unable to break that searching green gaze.

This had never happened to her before. She had never been instantly physically aware of a man before. But there was something about Edward Cullen's face that was mesmerising; the lean length of his body in the casually expensive clothes exuded a physical magnetism that Bella couldn't help being completely aware of.

She blushed immediately, and shifted uncomfortably as he continued to look at her. This was ridiculous! She wasn't some star-struck teenager, but a grown woman of twenty-seven, and certainly not the type to be impressed by a man whose face was famous enough for him to be recognised him herself, although she rarely watched television or went ot the cinema?

She turned away abruptly as she realized how stupidly she was behaving. and looked at Jacob instead. But even that was a mistake, because he just looked more young and affected than ever compared with the hard assurance of the other man.

'Introduce us, Jacob' Edward Cullen instructed the younger man, his gaze not leaving Bella's slightly flushed face.

Jacob looked more flustered than ever, 'Er-- this is Emmett Swan-- er--Bella. She prefers to be called Bella,' he introduced awkwardly, his bravado competely gone in the face of the other man's quiet authority.

'Why?' Edward Cullen addressed the question to Bella, totally ignoring the younger man now as he pulled out the chair beside her and sat down without being invited to do so.

Which brought him all the closer to her, and Bella could feel her hands shaking slightly as she clasped them together beneath the table. This man was something else, unlike anyone she had ever met before. No wonder he was so much in demand both on television and the big screen; he was magnetic.

And Bella could feel herself being drawn unresistingly towards him. Unresisting because she simply couldn't break the spell of that smouldering gaze.

'Why Bella' he repeated huskily, leaning forward slightly, effectively cutting Jacob out of their conversation as the younger man resumed his seat opposite Bella.

She moistened her lips that felt suddenly dry. 'Emmett is... It's an old family name,' she told him truthfully, wondering if that slightly breathless voice could really be her own. But she knew it was,knew she had never felt such emotional confusion, knew her usual capable efficiency was deserting her. 'I prefer my other name-- Bella.' She had refused point blank to spend the whole evening with Jacob Black answering to her brother's name. and had decided before meeting him that she would use her own name. He hadn't been concerned about her name anyway-- in fact she was surprised he could even remember it to introduce her to the other man!

'So do i,' Edward Cullen told her huskily.

'Much more... feminine.' His tone implied that that was exactly what he thought she was.

Bella swallowed hard, knowing she was-- subtly-- being flirted with.

Ridiculous. She was a librarian from a small rural town in the south of England-----

'And what do you do, Bella?' That smoldering green gaze continued to hold hers.

It was almost as if by doing so he had been able to read her thoughts. He obviously knew she wasn't an actress, otherwise their paths would probably have crossed before. But, somehow, just baldly stating she worked in her local library didn't seem appropriate---

'Bella lives out of town.' Jacob Black was the one to answer the other man. '

She's an old...friend.'

What on earth...?

Edward Cullen relaxed back in his chair now, watching her from beneath brooding brows, 'She doesn't look that old to me,' he finally drawled.

Jacob gave me a nervous dismissive laugh at the other man's obvious sarcasm. 'You know what I meant, Edward.'

Bella knew what he was implying too-- and she didn't like it one little bit! Why was Jacob lying to the other man? What possible reason could he have for giving the impression that they had once been-- even if they weren't now---involved?

'Yes,' the older man acknowledged gratingly, still looking at Bella.

'But that still doesn't tell me---'

'Edward, I think your group of friends are trying to let you know they're leaving,' Jacob cut in, looking pointedly over to the table where the other manhad been sitting with a dozen or so people until a few minutes ago.

A rather attractive blonde, probably in her early twenties, was looking pointedly over at Edward Cullen now as the rest of the group prepared to leave.

Bella vaguely recognised her as an actress who had briefly appeared in a long-running soap, although the other women's name escaped her. Not that it was important what her name was; she was obviously expecting Edward Cullen to rejoin them.

He studied Bella for several more long, lingering seconds before turning uninterestedly towards the other table, his mouth twisting with irritation as he saw the young blonde looking so longingly towards him.

'Excuse me for a few minutes.' He stood up in fluid movement. 'But I'll be back,' he added, looking down at Bella again before turning to walk purposefully across the room to his friends.

Bella wasted no time, once he had gone, in turning accusingly to Jacob. 'What do you think you're doing?' she demanded indignantly. 'I had never even met you before this evening!'

And she never intended spending another evening in his company either. The things she did for Emmett! The trouble was, her brother would think the whole thing ha!

Jacob looked uncomfortably now, completely unlike the egotistical idiot he had been all evening.

'I'm really sorry about that, Bella,' he said sheepishly.

'I just...Well, I didn't want Edward to know...

Well...'

It was suddenly clear to Bella: Jacob didn't want the other man to know dinner with him had been first prize in a Valentine competition! It would be funny in any other circumstances, and if she hadn't spent such an awful evening in his company. As it was---=

'Please, Bella.' Jacob put his hand cajolingly over hers. 'Not Edward, of all people!'

She could understand why he didn't want the older man to know he had been a prize in a competition, and was sure Edward Cullen would never put himself in such a position.

Obviously it had fed Jacob's ego, but it wasn't something he wanted a man like Edward Cullen to know about you~

'I''ll tell you what,' Jacob continued encouragingly.

'I'll take you out to dinner tomorrow evening too if you'll just---

'No! Er--no, she refused, less desperately than her initial outburst.

'That really won't be necessary, Jacob.' The mere thought of it was enough to send her into panic. Another evening spent in this man's company? Never! Besides, if the truth were known, the didn't particularly want Edward Cullen to think that she had entered a competition, obviously aimed at lovesick, impressionable women, to win an evening out with Jacob Black.

'I understand completely, Jacob,' she soothed. 'And your secret is safe with me.' And her own!

'Thanks, Bella,' he said with obvious gratitude. 'I owe you one.'

'What secret?' drawled the familiar voice of Edward Cullen as he resumed his seat next to Bella, looking as the two of them curiously with that compelling green eyes.

Bella couldn't help her glance in the direction of his group of friends as they prepared to leave, the pretty blonde in particular, who was still looking longingly in Edward Cullen's direction as one of the other man in the group encouraged her to leave.

When Bella turned back, it was to find Edward Cullen watching her with dark brows raised in questioning amusement. She could feel the heat in her cheeks at his mockery of her interest in his group of friends, especially the young actress. Damn him!

'I hope we haven't dragged you away from your friends,' Bella told him stiltedly.

'Not in the least,' he dismissed easily, very relaxed in his chair, completely in command of the situation. 'I'm not interrupting anything, am I?' Again he looked at the two of them questioningly.

'Of course not,' Jacob answered him a little too enthusiastically, obviously quite pleased that the other man had chosen to join them, but at the same timea little wary of his reasons for wanting to do so. 'I told you, Bella and I are just friends.'

And that 'friend' knew, even if Jacob didn't, exactly why Edward Cullen had decided to join the two of them. Ridiculous, she thought, not for the first time this evening. A man like Edward Cullen, who could have his pick of beautiful women, couldn't possibly be seriously interested in her.

Well, of course, he wasn't _seriously_ interested. It was the fact that he found her attractive at all that was so unnerving. And he so obviously did.

He certainly wasn't remaining with them because he enjoyed Jacob's company; the dislike he had for the younger man was more than apparent to Bella.

'Why don't the two of you join our party?' Edward Cullen invited smoothly. 'They're going on somewhere to dance,' he encouraged huskily.

Jacob looked at her.'Bella?'

She knew what Emmett would say. Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Flirt a little.

But that would be so completely out of character.

Untill six months ago she had been in a steady relationship for almost four years with James, a man in his late forties who took life bery seriously, his career in particular. And their parting had not been an amicable one.

Even more reason to relax and enjoy herself now, Emmett would have told her. _Had_ told her before she came away.

'Forget your life back here for a week, Bella,' he had instructed firmly.

'Be someone else for a while, do things you wouldn't noramlly do. That shouldn't be too difficult,' he had added disgustedly, because she never did anything except go to work, go home to spend the evening reading, and then get up again the next morning and go to work again.

'She hadn't even taken a day off in the last six months. She had worked six days a week, concentrating on her household chores on Sundays.

Emmett had made her life sound so boring, so--- so flat and mundane. And when she had sat and thought about it she had realised that it was, that she was a twenty-seven-year-old womean who was allowing life to pass her by, who was becoming staid and old-maidish.

That was the reason she had finally allowed herself to be pressured into coming away for this week...

But surely this was going to the other extreme, going off to God knew where for the rest of the evening, with a group of actors and actresses who had nothing in common with her normal everyday life? Absolutely nothing in common with that boring, flat, mundane life...

'Yes,' she repeated firmly, that exhilaration turning to a feeling of fluttering excitement in the pit of her stomach as she saw the look of satisfaction on Edward Cullen's face at her agreement to his suggestion that they go dancing.

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**AN:please review. tell what you think?**

**thanks take care  
**

**xx**


	4. Chapter 3

**The One and Only**

**By Dope shieet.**

**Chapter 3.**

'Your friend seems happy enough, 'Edward drawled beside her.

Bella glanced over uninterestedly to where Jacob was now dancing enthusiastically with the pouting blonde.

She still wasn't quite sure what she was doing here herself, in a nightclub she had only ever read about in newspapers before this evening, but Edward Cullen was right: Jacob was certainly enjoying himself with the actress.

They all had piled into the taxis when they had left the restaurant earlier, and somehow Bella had found herself squashed between the door of the taxi and Edward Cullen.

And he hadn't left her side since their arrival at the club, the slightly propreitorial air he adopted towards her warning off any of the other men in the group.

Including Jacob, who, because of the older man's apparent interest in her, had suddenly started looking at her with new eyes himself.

But after making such a point of saying they were simply old friends, he hadn't been able to make too much of a claim on her himself, finally going off to chat and flirt with the lovely blonde who had been so peeved with Edward Cullen earlier.

Bella was sure that initially the two of them had only got together because they were so piqued with her and Edward, but they now seemed to be genuinely enjoying each other's company.

'Yes,' she acknowledge huskily, taking a sip of her wine, unable to look at Edward.

'God, she felt uncomfortable in his company. She didn't even know what to talk to him about!

'Relax, Bella.' As he spoke Edward moved one lean hand to cover hers as it rested on her thigh, causing Bella to look up at him with startled brown eyes.

'I'm quite harmless, you know.' He gave her that teasing tone and smirk that was so famous from television and film screens.

Anyone less harmless than this man she had yet to meet! He gave the impression of a mountain lion, strong and fast bound by a thin veneer of civilization.

And it was questionable whether those veneers always remain in place. Somehow Bella doubted it……

Edward leaned forward slightly, bringing his face dangerously close to hers, his fingers becoming entwined with hers now--- long, lean fingers that made her hand look tiny in comparison.

But everything about this man was big--- in fact, he was larger than life. Bella felt lost.

'I don't bite---- at least, not on a first date,' he told her huskily, green eyes alight with humour.

Completely lost! She shouldn't have listened to Emmett's voice inside her head earlier. She wasn't having fun and enjoying herself, was too nervous in this man's company to do that. Mike had been old beyond his years, very serious, and so her experience with men was limited--- very limited when it came to men like Edward Cullen.

She certainly couldn't forget who she was for this one evening, and flirt with this man. She was totally out of her depth.

She swallowed hard. 'We aren't on a date,' she dismissed. As lightly as she could, hoping she sounded more self-assured than she felt.

'That can easily be remedied.' He shrugged broad shoulders. 'Have dinner with me tomorrow evening.' His green gaze easily held hers. 'I promise not to bite then, either.'

Have dinner with this man? Just the two of them out for an evening together? He had to be joking!

'Unless Jacob was exaggerating things slightly when he told me earlier that your friendship with him was a thing of the past?' Edward persisted at her lack of reply. 'After all, it is Valentine's night--- perhaps he was trying to revive things between the two of you?'

Jacob hadn't been exaggerating about there being nothing intimate between them; he had been completely fabricating the whole thing. But without revealing her own part in the competition prize, she couldn't exactly tell Edward that.

And the more time she spent in Edward Cullen's company, the less she wanted him to know about that.

'There is absolutely nothing like that between Jacob and myself,' she said with complete certainty, knowing there never would be. She still thought he was the biggest bore she had ever met in her life, and if she ever had to spend another evening in his company she _would _fall asleep!

'Jacob was alone this evening , and I happened to be town, so dinner seemed like a good idea,' she dismissed easily.

'Good,' Edward accepted with satisfaction . 'In that case, think about dinner tomorrow. And in the meantime,' he added , before she could make a reply, 'would you like to dance?'

Bella very much doubted that this man very often had to leave a woman to think about going out with him! It was … Dance? He wanted her to get up and dance with him? To this? The loud rock music had stopped several minutes ago to be replaced by slow love-songs- in fact Jacob and the young blonde had been entwined in each other's arms for some time. And now Edward had suggested that the two of them ------!

He gave a throaty chuckle at her side. 'I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like you before, Bella,' he told her with a crooked smile, as she turned to look at him enquiringly. 'Believe me, you're very refreshing!' he assured her at her doubtful look.

Gauche and unsophiscated was what he really meant, Bella was sure. And who could blame him for thinking that? She was behaving like some in-experienced teenager rather than the mature woman she was supposed to be. The man was suggesting they dance together, not asking her to go to bed with him!

'I would love to dance.' She stood up determinedly once she had made the announcement, her forced confidence shaken a little as she realized that Edward Cullen's fingers were still entwined with hers, his hand tightening its grasp slightly as he stood up beside her, moving forward to make a path for them to the crowded dance-floor.

Bella had no choice but to along with him; the clasp of his hand was deceptively light, but she had no doubt that if she seemed in any danger of leaving his side, for whatever reason, his fingers would tighten quite painfully.

Her heart was racing; a pulse seemed to be hammering in her throat as Edward took her in his arms. He was so much taller and bigger than she was, she realized, as he gathered her close against him, the top of her head resting under his chin, strong arms about her waist as he moulded her body against his.

Bella could barely breathe --- and it had little to do with the fact that her face was buried against the hardness of his chest. It had everything to do with the fact that she was completely aware of this man, from the hard leanness of his body to the tantalizing smell of the aftershave he wore.

He moved rhythmically to the beat of the music, his body seductive against hers, the crush of the dance-space making it impossible for them to move off the spot. When he had pulled her into his arms Bella hadn't known what to do with her hands, but as Edward put his arms possessively about her narrow waist she was perforce to place her hands on his broad shoulders. And she never felt so uncomfortable in her life, her efforts to hold herself apart from Edward quickly dealt with by him as he moulded her into the hard contours of his body with the firmness of his hands against her lower back.

In fact, those hands were a little too familiar against the curve of the base of her spine!

'I said relax, Bella.' He lowered his head to murmur close to her ear, his breath warm and caressing against her skin. 'We're only dancing.'

It might only be a dancing to him, but it felt more like making love to music to her! Maybe he was used to this sort of intimacy, but she certainly wasn't touching; even their legs were brushing together as they could only move side to side to the music. So much for behaving like the mature woman she was supposed to be; her legs felt as if they were going to buckle beneath her if this battering to her senses continued.

'Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Flirt a little!' This was going from one extreme to the other.

From , merely existing for the last six months --- going to work, then home, then back to work again—she had suddenly been thrust into a situation, with this wildly attractive man, that she just didn't know how to deal with. She wasn't just of out her depth, she was sinking! It reminded her of a poem she had loved to read when she was younger, she thought slightly hysterically, the poem a cry for help from someone everyone thought was in control but who was actually anything but.

Her own self-assured control had completely deserted her.

'Would you like to sit down again?' Edward offered huskily. 'I've been wanting to hold you in my arms like this ever since I glanced across the restaurant earlier and saw you sitting there like a shimmering brown doe among the forest,' he continued softly.

'But we can sit down if you that's what you would prefer to …. God, Bella, what's a woman like you doing with a man like Jacob Black?' He suddenly sounded angry.

Bella gasped at this attack. 'I ------'

'The man is at best an idiot,' Edward rasped disparagingly. 'At worst -----'

'I don't really think it's any of your business what I'm doing with Jacob,' Bella cut in, having recovered slightly from the unexpected attack. 'And what do you mean,' she added defensively, ' a women like me?'

'You're everything that Jacob isn't.' Edward shook his head. 'You have style – something he will never have. Why are you wasting your time on a man like him?'

Bella looked up at him angrily. 'When there's someone like you around, you mean?' she scorned.

'We weren't talking about me----'

'Weren't we?' she interrupted again.

'Maybe we were, 'he accepted slowly. 'Bella, you're worth a thousand of Jacob Blacks, don't you realize that?' he said almost angrily.

'You don't even know me,' she dismissed with derision.

'But I would like to,' he told her huskily. 'Very much so. You're beautiful, Bella. So beautiful.

'You … I'm going to kiss you!' he warned gruffly, seconds before his head lowered and his lips claimed hers.

Bella's hand tightened instinctively on his shoulders. The two of them had given up any impression of dancing now, and Bella was aware of nothing but the gentle exploration of Edward's mouth against hers.

And the caress of those lips was so very, very gentle, softly exploring, the tip of his tongue lightly probing, his arms tightening about her waist now, the sound of Bella's heart thundering in her ears.

'Er --- sorry to interrupt you two,' a tentative voice intruded. 'But we're moving on, and wondering if you're coming with us?'

She turned dazedly to look at Jacob as Edward reluctantly broke their kiss to raise his head and acknowledge the other man's presence with a glowering glare.

What was she doing? Having Fun? Enjoying herself? Flirting a little? A little! If Jacob hadn't interrupted them when he had, God knew what would have happened, right here on the dance floor!

'No,' Edward answered the other man harshly, his arm tight about Bella's waist as he anchored her to his side. 'I'm taking Bella home,' he announced arrogantly.

'She's staying at a hotel,' Jacob answered him a little dazedly, looking questioningly at Bella with raised brows.

As well he might. She had started this evening with one man, and was now apparently leaving with another one. Apparently, because she had no intention of letting Edward taker her back to her hotel.

There were limits to having fun, enjoying herself, flirting a little, and she knew that she had more than reached them with Edward. The man was dangerous--- to her peace of mind, her sensibilities, to her control over a situation that was fast spiraling out of control.

She hadn't even been completely under Edward's sensuous spell.

'Thank you for the offer, Edward.' She moved determinedly out of the curve of his restraining arm as she spoke. 'But Jacob will take me back to my hotel' she looked challengingly at the younger man, knowing his instinct was to bow to the superior arrogance of Edward Cullen. But the challenge of her gaze obviously conveyed the message it was meant to, and Jacob began to shift uncomfortably at the thought of opposing the older man. Jacob owed her one, and they both knew it.

'My mother always told me it's bad manners to leave at the end of the evening with anyone other than the person you arrived with.' She had no idea whether or not her mother had ever made such a statement, but it was reasonable that she might have done.

'We arrived here as a group,' Edward drawled mockingly, his lazily relaxed stance belied by the hard glitter in dark green eyes; he wasn't happy at the thought of being thwarted in this way.

Well, Bella wasn't happy either at the thought of his taking her back to her hotel; she seemed to have absolutely no will-power when it came to resisting this man. And a brief fling with an actor, even one as attractive as Edward Cullen, was not on the agenda for this week. And she had a feeling that if he came back to her hotel with her, after the intensity of the kisses they had already shared, taking her to bed was exactly what he would expect.

She could already hear Emmett's incredulity at her not allowing that to happen, Rose's disbelief in Bella's reluctance to become involved, however fleetingly, with a man like Edward Cullen. Well, she wasn't even going to tell them about it!

'Jacob and I still have a lot to gossip to catch up on.' Bella put her arm pointedly in the crook of Jacob's. 'Don't we, Jacob?' She looked up to give him a glowing smile, a warning light in her eyes as she did so.

'Oh, we do,' he readily agreed, nodding his head with enthusiasm, obviously warned. 'Sorry, Edward.' He gave the other man a slightly apprehensive look, obviously fearing retribution. Bella was in no doubt that Edward could be cutting of he chose to be.

'I have a feeling Tanya won't be too happy if you disappear with Bella.' Edward looked pointedly at the young blonde actress, who was no longer just poutingly upset at the thought of losing the second man of the evening to Bella, but obviously blazingly angry.

If Tanya was lucky she would have Edward back in her company but, whatever happened, Bella was leaving with Jacob and not Edward. 'It was nice to meet you.' Bella put her hand out to Edward in a formal parting. 'But Jacob and I really do have to go now.'

'Well, if you and Jacob have to go now, I suppose you have to go,' he accepted in a hard voice, totally ignoring her outstretched hand to bend his head and lightly brush his lips against hers. 'I'll be in touch,' he told her, so softly that only Bella could hear him.

As only she had been meant to hear him! What did mean, he would be in touch? In what way would he be in touch,' He couldn't----

'Let's go,' Jacob told her firmly, giving Tanya a regretful smile before guiding Bella out of the nightclub.

So what do you think so far of my story? Please review tells me what you think. The more reviews I get the quicker I will finish chapter 4.

X


	5. Chapter 5

**The One and Only**

**By Dope shieet**

**Chapter 4**

Bella didn't even start to breathe again until they were outside, and then she drew in a ragged, much-needed gasp of air to her starved lungs. God, what a disaster, what an absolute, absolute disaster! She wished she had never come away for this week, wished she had stayed I the safety of her own little world. It was a sure fact that she didn't belong in this one!

'You haven't heard the last of him, you know,' Jacob spoke softly as they travelled by taxi to her hotel. She hadn't want him to put into words what she thought she already knew. 'Don't be ridiculous,' she snapped defensively, not even attempting to pretend she didn't know who he was talking about---that would have been absurd.

'I know him of old, Bella'. Jacob shook his head in the half-light of the taxi. 'The only reason he wasn't more insistent just now was so that there wasn't a scene. But, above everything else, Edward can be determined when he wants something.'

Had he been determined when he had kissed her in the middle of that crowded nightclub? Bella didn't know whether it was determination or arrogance, but she did know that James would never have behaved in such an exhibitionist way. James… She hated to think what he would make of all the events of this evening and, more precisely, her own part in them!

Not that it was any of James's business what she did any more. It had stopped being so six months ago, when he had chosen to break off their relationship and announce that he was going out with a woman of his own age. Bella had been stunned by his decision; after almost four years together she had believed James would ask her to marry him in the near future.

But instead James had begun to date a widow of forty-five, a woman with grown-up children, leaving Bella to wonder why things had gone wrong between them. But that hadn't been the worst part. James was actually in charge of the library where she worked, and so Bella was also left with the humiliation of going to work every day with people who had known of their past relationship, and the reason it had ended so abruptly.

And Bella hadn't thought about that for weeks. Well—days. Yes, it had been days, she realized with the some surprise, the preparations for this week away having taken over her life for some time before she actually came to London. So why was she thinking about that past disappointment now? She knew it had to because of the sharp contrast between James's and Edward Cullen; two men more unalike she had yet to meet…

'Edward can be a very determined man, Bella,' Jacob repeated, at her continued lack of reply to his statement. She thought she already knew that, knew that Edward had meant it when he said he would be in touch. But he had to find her first. And there was only one way he could do that… 'I want you to promise me you won't tell him which hotel I'm staying at, Jacob.' She looked at him determinedly, the light of battle in sparking brownish-green eyes.

All Jacob's bravado had left him since the advent of Edward Cullen into their evening, and he had the look of a haunted man on his face now. He drew in a ragged breath. 'If he asks me----' 'You aren't going to tell him,' Bella cut in firmly.

'Look, Jacob, he's only playing games, and I'm not into game-playing,' she added almost angrily. She wasn't about to provide a fleeting amusement for anyone, not after what she had already been through with one man in her life. Jacob gave her a speculatively sideways glance. 'You looked as if you were enjoying yourself a few minutes ago.' When Edward had been kissing her. There was no denying she had been completely under his spell then, hadn't cared herself where they were or who could see them. Which was another reason she didn't want to see him again; she had to return to her normal life when this week was over, and she didn't want that to be any more difficult than it already promised to be.

'So did you,' she snapped back, relieved to see they were back at her hotel. 'Don't bother to come in, Jacob; you may as well let the taxi take you on to wherever you want to go.' Probably back to the nightclub, to the beautiful Tanya. Where, hopefully, Edward wouldn't still be and see the other man's return. On second thoughts, bearing in mind her warning to Jacob, which she knew he had perfectly understood, maybe Jacob wouldn't go back to the nightclub….

As she expected, Jacob made no move to get out of the taxi to open the door for her, a disgruntled look on his face. 'I'll see you at four o'clock tomorrow afternoon for the photographs,' he muttered sulkily. Bella came to an abrupt halt in climbing out of the taxi. 'What photographs?' she looked at him sharply. He shrugged, still glowering. 'It's part of the competition prize, Bella,' he explained bad-temperedly, obviously wishing he had stayed well away from the whole venture. 'Publicity for the magazine. Photographs of me with the competition winner,' he continued as she still looked at him blankly. Emmett had forgotten to mention any photographs with this man so that all the magazine readers could drool over them curiously; every one of those women was welcome to Jacob Black as far as she was concerned.

'See you Jacob,' she told him non-committally, having no intention of being anywhere near the hotel tomorrow afternoon. Photographs, indeed! God, how humiliating. 'We have two messages for you, Miss Swan,' the receptionist of the hotel told her brightly when she collected her key. Her heart leapt; surely Edward hadn't found her already? No, of course he hadn't, she told herself self-derisively. There was no way he could find out which hotel she was staying at. And she was sure she could trust Jacob not to tell the other man; after all, neither of them wanted Edward to know of the competition.

'A message from a photographer about tomorrow afternoon,' the receptionist told her lightly, only raising her eyebrows slightly as Bella took the piece of paper with that message on and screwed it up into a hall. 'And the other is that a Mr. Swan rang at about one-fifteen,' she smiled. 'He said he would ring again.' 'When?' Bella asked abruptly, wanting a word with Emmett herself. 'He didn't specify a time,' the young receptionist told her apologetically. Bella just bet he hadn't. Damn Emmett. And she didn't need two guesses as to know why he had telephoned at all; he wanted to know how she had got on with her date with Jacob Black. And as she hadn't even been back in the hotel an hour ago, when he had rung, his imagination was probably working overtime. Damn Emmett! Damn Jacob Black! And, most of all, damn Edward Cullen! Because for a brief time tonight her control had slipped completely—and he had been the cause of it….

The insistent knocking finally broke through the deep realms of her sleep-muddled brain, Bella coming awake with a resistant groan. Who could be calling on her at this time of the morning …? Oh, God--- a glance at the illuminated bedside clock had shown her that it was only just still morning, the clock reading eleven-fifty. Of course, it had taken her hours to fall asleep after her eventful evening, and it had already been late when she had got in, but--- The loud knocking sounded again on the door of her suite. Perhaps there was a fire? Perhaps… It was not good sitting here wondering, she had to put on her dressing-gown and go and see who it was. Only it wasn't her dressing-gown at all. She realized with a groan as she pulled on the grey silk robe that Rose had lent her, along with everything else she was to wear this week. Oh, well, she was sure the staff in this hotel was used to seeing people dressed---- or undressed—in all sorts of clothes. She stumbled out of the bedroom into the lounge, noticing as she did so that the dress she had worn the night before was draped across one of the armchairs. She had undressed on her way to the bedroom when she got in last night, had just wanted to fall into bed when she got there. And then she had lain awake for hours…

Jacob Black stood outside her door, the disgruntled look on his face from the night before still there, what did he want now? It was far too early for---- 'I knew you weren't going to be ready,' he said impatiently, shouldering his way into the room. 'You aren't even dressed!' he added disgustedly. Bella frowned at him, completely unconcerned by the fact that she wasn't dressed; he shouldn't even be here, let alone criticizing her appearance. 'What do you want, Jacob?' she asked wearily.

'We're all waiting for you downstairs,' he told her irritably. 'We have been for the last fifteen minutes.' He glanced at his watch, 'Twenty, now!' She shook her head. 'You've lost me, Jacob.' She sighed her own impatience; she was hardly in a mood to deal with riddles. 'Who is waiting for me? And why?' Not something else to do with this competition prize that she had know idea about? 'Don't tell me you didn't get the message about the photographic session being brought forward to this morning, because Reception said they gave it to you when you got in last night!' He scowled. 'Some of us have had to change filming schedules to get here on time, and you couldn't even be bothered to get out of bed!' She ignored the last accusation, concentrating on what he said about the photographic session, remembering the message from the magazine that had been waiting for her last night—a message she had screwed up to throw in the bin when she got into her suite. She had assumed it was just a reminder for her to be there, not an adjustment of time.

'I… forgot to read the message,' she admitted with a self-conscious grimace. 'Forgot!' Brown eyes blazed Jacob's displeasure. 'Oh, never mind,' he dismissed with an impatient shake of his head. 'Just get dressed now and-----' He broke off as there was another knock on the door. 'I told them I would come and find you.' He glared in the direction of the suite door. 'Just in case you…. Weren't alone,' he added with a shrug, seeming to take in her completely disheveled appearance for the first time. 'You are alone, aren't you?' He gave a questioning look in the direction of the bedroom. Bella had been having trouble following his conversation—the unaccustomed wine the night before, followed by her inability to get to sleep, and then falling into a deep sleep and being woken so suddenly, were not conductive to clear thinking.

But the meaning of his last comment was unmistakable. 'Of course I'm alone,' she snapped Jacob gave her a mocking nod of his head. 'I wasn't sure whether Edward might have paid you a late-night call.'

She knew exactly what he had thought, had seen the way he had taken in her appearance, noted her dress from the night before thrown over the arm of the chair—and she didn't in the least like the assumption he had made. 'I should get that if I were you.' Jacob nodded in the direction of the door as the knock sounded yet again, throwing himself down into an armchair to watch her with some amusement.

'You have some explaining to do,' he added with satisfaction. She had intended explaining nothing, hadn't intended to even be here. She cursed herself for not reading that message from the magazine the night before; if she had, she would have made sure she was far away from the hotel this morning. Her politely enquiring smile as she opened the door was frozen on her lips as she saw who her second visitor of the morning was. Edward Cullen.

And as he looked past her into the room, to where Jacob sat sprawled in an armchair, his gaze slowly returning to take in her own disheveled appearance, it was obvious by the sudden hardening of that cobalt-blue gaze that he no longer believed either of their claims of an old friendship between them, but that he thought it was still very new!

Hey guys I wrote another chapter. Hope you guys like it and please review..x


	6. Chapter 6

**The One and Only**

**By Dope shieet**

**Hi fanfictioners, sorry it took so long to write this but things have coome up and i didn't have any time to write it. so heres the next chapter. i hope you like it and please write a review. i would really appreciate it. thanks. **

**peacee outt.. GABBY BRAHS! x **

**Chapter 5**

'So, Jacob,' Edward drawled coldly, brushing past Bella as he strode uninvited into her hotel suite. The arm brushing against her cause Bella to take a step back, an action he acknowledged by the raising of one dark brow before he turned his attention back to the younger man. _'This _is the reason you're too sick to be at work today!' he taunted with hard skepticism.

Bella looked at Jacob too, and noted the way his face suffused with colour at the sight of Edward, the way he sat up guiltily. And no wonder! So much for the noble claim of chaning work schedules to be here this morning; Jacob had simply called in sick. And from the look on his face, if he hadn't felt sick before he certainly did now. Jacob swallowed hard, his face pale now. 'Bella and I....still had some catching up to do,' he blurted out awkwardly.

Bella stared at him open-mouthed as he said exactly the thing to make the situation seem worse-- and definitely different from what it actually was.

Jacob wasn't just a bore, he was stupid too.

'So I see,' Edward rasped harshly, his expression glacial now. 'And did it occur to you, Jacob------' the words were bitten out like darts flying between the two men, each one making its target '-- that you have inconvenienced a lot of other people today because of your supposed sickness? Including myself,' he added softly. Too softly.

Jacob gave a nervously dismissive smile. 'You're exaggerating, Edward------'

'Am I?' the other man returned evenly, the calmness of his exterior belied by the blazing anger in his eyes.

'I don't think so, Jacob,' he bit out tautly. 'As you must have known, we had to reschedule all this morning's scenes. And all because you, apparently, couldn't be bothered to get out of bed with your old friend Bella!'

She gasped her indignation at the accusation. How dared he? Who did he think ge...? She bit her bottom lip in agitation as Edward bent down to pick up the shimmering green dress she had been wearing the night before, looking at it scathingly before holding it out to her. Bella took the dress unthinkingly, clasping it to her, well aware herself now of exactly how damning this situation looked.

But she didn't owe anyone an explanation---- even if what Edward was thinking about Jacob and herself had been true. She could understand Edward being annoyed with Jacob for not being at work this morning, but on a personal basis it was none of his business whether Jacob had spent the night here with her or not. And that was the only side side of this that concerned her; Jacob would have to get himself out of the other scrape he had got himself into.

'I'm going to get dressed,' she abruptly told no one in particular, looking at neither man as she walked towards the bedroom, hoping---she knew futilely--- that both men would have left by the time she returned.

'That might be a good idea,' Edward said coldly behind her. Her back stiffened at the insult she could hear in his voice, and she quickly made good her escape into the bedroom. And it did feel like an escape; the air in the other room had been electric with angry disapproval. As had Edward himself. She had no idea why he was here, how he had found her hotel, but she knew all three of them wished he hadn't.

'God, what a disaster! It was stupid of Jacob to have told such a lie. Even more stupid of him to be caught out in it in such a way. And even more stupid than anything else to involve her in the lie in the way he had! Oh, she was involved, as far as being the winner of the competition went, but the impression he had given Edward had been of something completely different between them.

And after all that she had said to Edward the night before about Jacob and her just being old friends. Maybe sometimes old friends did go to bed together, but she and Jacob weren't old anything; after the mess he had just made of things, she knew they never would be either. How on earth either of them was going to be able to talk themselves out of this one, she just didn't know.

She felt decidedly more comfortable once she had dressed in close-fitting denims with a black jumper neatly tucked in at her narrow waist, brushed her hair loosely about her shoulders, and applied a light make-up to add some colour to her pale cheeks. She had a feeling she was going to need all the confidence she could muster to get through the next few minutes. Surely that was all it would take for Edward to tell the two of them exactly what he thought of them--- if he hadn't already--- and be on his way.

She took a deep breath before reaching to turn the door-handle to go back into the lounge. Both men hadn't gone---but Jacob had, damn him!

Edward stood alone in the room. He had made no move to take off the thick short coat that he wore over a dark blue shirt and fitted denims, despite the heat of the hotel suite. Good, perhaps that meant he wasn't staying long either. Just long enough to tell her what he thought of her part in Jacob's absence this morning, probably!

He looked at her from beneath dark scowling brows, his eyes darkly glacial, his mouth a thin, grim shifted uncomfortably under that probing gaze.

'How did you find my hotel?' she asked, once she could stand the lengthy silence no longer.

He remained unmoving. 'That was the easy part,' he bit out.

In other words, that was for him to know and for her only to guess. And the only explanation she could think of was that he had tried all the main hotels until he had found the one she was staying at.

It was just like him not to have announced his imminent arrival too; if he had, the previous scene with Jacob would never have happened.

She interlaced her hands in front of her thighs, mainly as a way of hiding the fact that they were shaking slightly, but also because she just didn't know what to do with them; she felt so uncomfortable facing Edward across the room like this. He wasn't at all the man she had spent some of the previous evening--- with the danger that emanated from him now was certainly not of the sensual kind.

'Er---- where's Jacob?' she said, really more for something to say than from any real interest in where the other man had gone. But she could see by the increased tightness of Edward's jaw that it had been the wrong thing to say.

'He had to leave. Obviously,' Edward added harshly.

Bella didn't see that there was anything obvious about it; Jacob should have stayed and helped her out of this situation. But she should have known that he wouldn't; he was terrified of the older man.

'Oh.' She nodded lightly, turning away.

'But i have no doubt he'll be back,' Edward added contemptuously.

Neither did Bella, if only to see what conversation had taken place between herself and Edward once he had left---and just how he had fitted into it. Well, he should have stayed if he wanted to know that, not left her at this man's mercy.

'Why the lies, Bella?' Edward rasped harshly, causing Bella to look up at him in fresh alarm. 'Are you married? Is that it? A married woman in London, away from hubby, out for a little fun with her actor-friend?'

He spoke so contemptuously, looked at her so disgustedly...! And by what right? she wanted to know, if all she had ever read about him was true.

'Don't judge everyone by your own standards!' she snapped her brown eyes sparkling with anger as she glared at him.

He became very still, eyes narrowed to steely slits. 'Meaning?[' he prompted, in that dangerously soft voice she was quickly learning to be wary of.

But not at this moment. Who did he think he was, coming here throwing out accusations? He had kissed her himself last night, on a very brief acquaintance, so who was he to sit in judgement of what he thought she and Jacob had done last night?

'Meaning your affairs, with married as well as unmarried women, are legendary!' she told him heatedly. She might not be interested in the gossip from his world, but it had become impossible over the years not to see his photograph in newspapers and magazines, each time with a different woman.

And he had the nerve to sit in judgement of her and Jacob!

This was ridiculous; she was allowing herself to be indignant about a supposed affair that she knew didn't even exist. And the quicker she told him that. the sooner he would leave.

But before she could say anything he had crossed the room in two long strides, his hands reaching out to grasp her painfully by the tops of her arms.

Bella was so stunned by the suddeness of his action that she could only stare up at him in open-mouthes surprise.

'In that case,' he ground out harshly, 'it won't matter id I add one more to my list, will it?

Her? He---

There was no time for further thought as his mouth came down on hers with crushing intensity, Edward showing her none of the gentelness of the night before as his mouth claimed hers brusingly, his arms about her waist moulding the curves of her body roughly against his.

And if he had continued to kiss her in that contemptuous way, she would have been able to pull away from him and end it right then. But, filled with sudden anger as the kiss had begun, it just as suddenly gentled to sensuous intensity, and one of Edward's hands moved to cup her chin as he held her mouth captive beneath his and sipped from her lips, touching softly now, the tip of his tongue a moist caress to the warmth of her mouth.

Bella knew the same mindless pleasure as she had felt last night, couldn't think, had no desire for anything but for Edward to go on kissing her. Her arms moved up about his neck as she held him to her, her body bending into his with boneless need.

'God, Bella! You're beautiful. Beautiful!' he murmured heatedly against her throat, his lips moist and hot, making her quiver with arousal. 'And I want you,' he added raggedly, raising his head to look down at her with intensely dark green eyes, a flush on his hard cheeks.

Bella knew he wanted her, wasn't so inexperienced that she couldn't feel the pulsing desire in his body and recognise it for what it was. And it was a desire that was echoed in her own body.

The anger between them had quickly turned to throbbing need, and Bella's hand clung to this shoulders as much to stop herself falling as to feel the broad strength of him.

Edward looked into her face searchingly. 'You want me too,' he finally groaned. 'Bella!' His mouth claimed hers once again.

Their kisses became more intense, more desperate, desire spiralling out of control now as one of Edward's hands moved to cup her breast, Bella gasping in pleasure as his thumb moved rhythmically against the already hardened nipple, a heat she had never known before coursing through her body.

She offered no resistance whatsoever when Edward swept her up in his arms and carried her over to the sofa, sitting down with her still in his arms as he laid her back against the cushions. Bella's eyes were closed as she revelled in the sensuous pleasure heating her body, but her eyes opened wide as she felt Edward's lips against her nakedness of her pulsing breast, lips that slowly explored until her eyes closed again in an ectasy she had never known before. Her nipple was between his lips now, his tongue moving wetly over that hardened tip as he roused her to a frenzy of passion totally unknown to her. And so irresistible....!

His hands moved restlessly against her thighs, moulding her to him as he moved his body on top of hers, nestling between her legs, denim against denim, as their bodies fitted perfectly together. Bella looked down at Edward now, his hair dark against her milky-white skin, his eyes dark with sensuous passion, and he raised his head only high enough to be able to look at her, her nipple still his captive, their gazes clashing and holding as each saw the burning desire in green and brown depths.

It was the most erotic experience to look at Edward as he was kissing her breast; one of her hands moved up to cradle his head against her, never wanting the caress to end, her body so heated with desire that she felt about to explode.

Edward saw the pleasure in her eyes and his mouth slowly left her nipple; all the time he was watching her as his tongue moved between his lips to begin a slow moist exploration of that hardened tip of her breast.

She was so hot. With needing. And wanting. Wanting Edward. Wanting the hardness of his body to claim hers, to complete her pleasure, to take her to the heights her own body cried out for, heights she knew Edward could show her...

'Please!' she groaned mindlessly, her hands tangled in the darkness of his hair as his lips claimed her other nipple now, while his hand continued to caress the moist tip of the one he had just pleasured.

Her body was shaking with need, with a heat that had to be assuaged. With a need for Edward, all of him...

'Tell me, Bella----' his breath was hot against her heat-dampened skin '---tell me you want me.'

How could he doubt it? Every nerve-ending, every part of her cried out her need for him.

'Want me, I mean, Bella,' he continued raggedly.

'Say "I want you, Edward".' He cradled her face with his hands, his gaze holding her captive now as he willed her to echo his words.

She didn't understand. How could he doubt...?

No, he couldn't possibly mean......!

She stared at him with horror dawning in her eyes. He did mean exactly what she had realised; he didn't want her to be at all mistaken about the lover in her arms, wanted her to say his name, believed--------

Saved by the bell! Or was she? The ringing telephone had certainly halted the anguished outburst in her throat. But who had it saved? Certainly not her, because after what Edward had just said the passion and desire inside her had died as suddenly as they had coursed through her body, and she was now shocked at her own abandon, covered with confusion at her uninhabited response. She had acted like a wanton-----

'I'll get that,' Edward muttered roughly, turning away to pick up the telephone receiever.

Bella was glad of the few seconds' respite from his probing gaze to pull her clothing back into order, swinging her legs to put her feet back on the carpeted floor---and hopefully back onto safe ground.

She smoothed back her tousled hair, colour flooding her cheeks as she remembered it had been Edward's hands entangled in the silky mass that had caused the disorder

'For you.' He turned to hold the receiver out to her. 'A man,' he added harshly, his mouth a thin angry line. 'Another one.'

Bella took the receiver from him, watching apprehensively as he stood up to cross the room to stare out the window, before raising the reciever to her own ear. 'Yes?'.

she said reluctantly, expecting people from the magazine to be on the other end of the line--- to complain about her non-appearance this morning. After all, there weren't too many people who knew she was here at all.

'Bella!' Emmett greeted enthusiastically. 'Considering you weren't even back last night when I called, I have no need to ask what sort of evening----- and night--- you had!'

Her brother! He was the last person, positively the last person, she wanted to talk to just now.

'Can I call you back?' she said woodenly, all the time keeping an eye on Edward as he stood rigidly with his back towards her, although no doubt he could hear all her side of this telephone conversation, at least.

'Oh, come on, Bella,' Emmett whined complainingly. 'How much longer do you intend to keep me in suspense?'

'I intended returning your call later,' she told him distantly.

'But I'm here now,' he said impatiently. 'And I can't wait any longer to hear just how you got on with your date last night.'

'You'll have to,' she told him sharply, wishing he would just get off the telephone. Then she could ask Edward to leave.

'I've taken time out of my lunch-hour to make this call,' Emmett said impatiently. 'You could at least give me a clue--although maybe I have one,' he suddenly realized. 'Who's the man that answered the phone, Bella? I assumed it was someone from the hotel, but...Who is it, Bella?' he said excitedly.

'Surely not Jacob Black?'

'Certainly not!' She glanced across at Edward after her instinctive denial--only to find he was watching her with narrowed green eyes. Her hand tightened about the receiver. 'Look, I've said I'll call you back later,' she told Emmett firmly. 'And that's exactly what i'll do.' She put the receiver firmly back in its cradle before Emmett could so much as utter a protest. If he telephoned straight back she would-----

'Your husband?'

She looked across at Edward with a frown. And the she remembered the accusations he had made to her before----before--- Well, before.

He really believed she was a married woman, in London having fun with a string of lovers!

She stood up abruptly. 'I don't think that is any of your business,' she told him coldly, all memory of desire for this man gone now as she look at him dismissively. The memories would come back layer, when she was alone... 'I think you should leave now,' she added distantly.

'I intend to,' he bit out contemptuously. ' But you're good, Bella, I give you that.' He shook his head with self-disgust.

'Good?' she echoed frowningly.

He nodded. 'I really believed I had met someone different last night. You seem so fresh and unaffected, not at all like the people i usually meet.

Perhaps you should be the actress!'

'And perhaps you should meet a different crowd of people!' she told him heatedly, hurt, in spite of herself, that he could actually believe her naivete last night had all been an act.

His mouth twisted. 'I think not. At least I know them for what they are.'

The look he gave her told her he considered that he also knew her for what she was now. 'I think you should leave now, Edward,' she bit out tautly.

He had to leave before she began to cry! Reaction to what had taken place between them a few minutes ago was starting to set in, and how she now felt totally humiliated at her own weakness in being attracted to this man, in allowing that attraction to take over in the way it had.

She had never behaved in such a wanton way in her life before; her relationship with Gerald had certainly never been on that level. Maybe if it had.....

But no, it was too late for thoughts like that. And certainly not now. Now she just had to make Edward leave!

'I intend to,' he nodded abruptly. ' After all, you have so many telephone calls to make-- don't you? he added contemptuously. To the string of lovers he seemed to think she had in London. And he also thought she had decided to add him to their number. Maybe her behavior a few minutes ago had been a little.... There was no maybe about it, she inwardly admonished herself; she _had_ behaved in a way that could be mistaken for none other than what it was. But, even so, Edward had no right to jump to the assumptions about her marital status that he had. Not even when it was so obvious that she and Jacob were hiding something...? No! He still didn't have that right as far as she was concerned.

'Just go,' she said wearily.

He picked up the jacket he must have discarded sometime during their lovemaking, shrugging his broad shoulders into it. 'You're playing a dangerous game, Bella,' he warned softly. 'Especially with someone like Jacob. He isn't the most discreet of people,' he explained his warning about the younger man.

'And I suppose you are?' she scorned, eyes sparkling.

'Privately, yes. Publicly-----' he shrugged '--- I don't have the same freedom.'

She knew that only too well; she had noticed the way people looked at him in recognition last night when they were all at the nightclub together.

'And another thing, Bella.' Edward paused as he reached the door. 'Don't believe everything you read in the newspapers,' he added softly when she looked at him enquiringly. 'I was a happily married man until my wife died five years ago,' he continued grimly. 'And, since that time, any woman in the company of whom I spend more than five minutes is reputed to be my latest mistress. If there had been any reporters at the club last night, there would have been a photograph in the newspapers this morning of the two of us together. And we both know we aren't having an affair.'

Only because of the interruption of a telephone call, Bella acknowledged miserably. But she had forgotten about his marriage. She remembered now that he had been married to the actress Tanya Denali, who had died while making an adventure film when a stunt had gone sadly wrong. That couldn't have been an easy time for him, she accepted.

Although that still didn't give him the right to come here making assumptions and accusations about her!

'Or ever likely to be,' she replied firmly. She doubted they would ever meet again.

Edward shook his head. 'Why don't you go home to your husband, Bella?' He frowned. 'Jacob has nothing to offer you but a good time.'

She looked at him challengingly, her head up, her hair cascading down her back. 'I thought that was what you said I was obviously in London for!' she reminded him scathingly.

He quirked dark brows. 'And are you?'

That had been the idea of her coming here, according to Emmett: a time when she could forget Mike, and the awful futility of continuing to work with him, a time when she could forget herself for a while and become someone else. And last night she had attempted to do just that. But after meeting Edward, it was all turning out to be rather a nightmare, and unforeseeable nightmare...

'It hasn't been too good so far,' she acknowledged heavily, thinking of the disasters that had so far befallen her. How on earth could she, a rural librarian, have become involved with two men like Jacob Black and Edward Cullen? It was totally ridiculous!

Edward's mouth tightened, his expression grim.

'In that case, I suggest you call back the lover on the telephone just now and see if he's any improvement.' With one last contemptuous look in her direction, he wrenched open the door, closing it forcefully behind him as he left.

The room still seemed charged with his presence even after he had gone. Bella's breath left her lungs with a shuddering sigh as she sank down weakly into one of the armchairs. What a mess, an absolute mess.

And, although it might have been Emmett's idea that she come to London in the first place, she really had no one else but herself to blame for what had happened just now.


	7. Chapter 7

**The one and only.**

**By dopeshieet**

_Hi guys sorry it took me so long to write a new chapter I had a huge writers block and this took a lot of time and effort and I wrote half before and my laptop turned off without saving it hence writing it all of again from scratch. And I figured I don't really care if you hate it or not and if you review though I did before. So I hope you guys like it and ill try and write the next chapter soon I have ideas already forming. Love always __**Rielle Santiago**__. So read and give me your point of view. _

**CHAPTER 6.**

'SMILE, damn it!' Jacob growled at her out of the corner of his mouth. 'If anyone has reason to look sick of all this, it's me.' Despite his obvious ill-humor, the teasingly boyish grin stayed on his lips as his face remained directed at the camera across the room.

Professionalism, Bella supposed it was called. But she had no reason even to attempt to look happy about this situation. She had been too dazed after Edward's departure from her hotel suite to do more than sit in her room and try to gather her chaotic thoughts together. That had been a mistake. The representative from the magazine, obviously tiring of the wait downstairs, had taken that opportunity to come and find her.

And the photographic session had been rescheduled for this evening…

Jacob had looked no more happy about it than she had when he arrived half an hour ago-in fact, he looked decidedly green. But there had been no opportunity for the two of them to talk privately together, so Bella had no idea what was wrong with him. Although she had an idea it might have been another encounter with Edward….

Not that she particularly wanted to hear about that; she was still shaken by what had happened between herself and Edward. The two men would have to sort out their own differences, definitely without any help from her.

They had set up the photographic session in one of the luxurious lounges of the hotel, and, after looking through Bella's wardrobe, the magazine representative has chosen the backless black gown as the one she would like Bella to wear. Seen from the front it was quite a demure dress, except for its exceptionally short skirt, but her back was bare almost down to the base of her spine-making it impossible for her to wear underwear at all except the briefest pair of black briefs.

Bella had to admit that it was a beautiful dress, and her hair looked like a cascade of flame down her spine, once the hairdresser had got to work. But, nevertheless, she felt uncomfortable in such a revealing dress, and couldn't wait for the photographs to be over with so that she could go and change into something less-eyecatching. But Jacob had other ideas, grabbing hold of her arm and dragging her towards the hotel bar once all the people from the magazine had left. His grip was quite painful, digging into her bare flesh, the dress being sleeveless as well as backless, and Bella was relieved when they reached the comfort of the bar and he released her to go and get them both drink.

'I know it wasn't much fun, Jacob-'Bella eyed him as he drank down what appeared to be a double whisky in just two swallows '—but it wasn't that bad.' In fact, she had quite enjoyed the experience of being photographed, once she had accepted the fact that there was no way she could get out of it.

'Besides,' she added lightly, 'you should be used to it.'

Jacob eyed her malevolently across the width of the coffee-table that separated them as they sat in armchairs in the bar area. 'I may have to get unused to it!' His scowl deepened.

Bella frowned too now. 'What do you-?'

'Excuse me.' He stood up abruptly. 'I need another drink.'

As he walked back to the bar, she watched him, making no attempt to drink the glass of white wine he had brought back for her last time.

Jacob had been bad-tempered ever since his arrival here this evening; in fact, he had been decidedly morose until he had stepped in front of the camera, at which time he had become completely professional, smiling and laughing for the photographs. But there was obviously something seriously wrong with him and, much as Bella found him a pain and a bore, if his bad temper was due to Edward, then she probably had something to do with it, and so was partly responsible.

'What's wrong, Jacob?' she prompted gently, once he had sat down with his second drink in as many minutes.

'Wrong' he echoed sarcastically. 'What could possibly be wrong?' he dismissed scornfully. 'I'm about to be….About to be!' he repeated disgustedly. 'I have been!' He shook his head, staring down into the bottom of his whisky-glass as he swirled the contents around uninterestedly.

Bella frowned. 'Have been what?'

He looked up to glare at her with blazing brown eyes. 'Axed from _Pilgrim's Game_,' he ground out harshly, taking another swallow of the whisky.

She stared at him. Pilgrim's Game was the name of the series he and Edward starred in, Pilgrim being the name of the leading character that Edward played. Jacob played the part of the sergeant who accompanied him on his cases. How could Jacob have been axed from such a part?

'Don't look surprised.' He gave a bitter laugh. 'Edward made it pretty clear this morning just how angry he was.'

She nodded, still dazed. 'Because you called in sick and they had to reschedule.'

Jacob's mouth twisted scornfully. 'You don't think that's really what all this is about, do you?' He gave her a pitying look.

He couldn't be saying he had been sacked from the series because Edward had found the two of them together in her hotel suite this morning? Surely not? Edward was a powerful figure in the acting world, but surely even he didn't have the power to….

It sounded too incredible.

'Grow up, Bella,' Jacob derided scathingly as the incredulity slowly spread across of her face. 'Edward is the star and what he says, where _Pilgrim's Game_ is concerned, goes.'

She didn't think now was the time to point out to him last night he had been claiming the series couldn't even exist without him in it! There had to be some sort of mistake, though, she was sure; Edward might be a lot of things- and some of them she would prefer not to think about-but she hadn't seen him as a vindictive man. But there was no disputing the fact that Jacob appeared to have been dropped from the series the other man starred in….

'Have you tried talking to Edward?' She still frowned.

'About what?' Jacob dismissed bitterly. 'My agent has been told my contract ends with the end of this series. It's not negotiable.'

It did sound pretty conclusive, but surely….? Oh, she didn't for a moment believes the series couldn't run without Jacob, but, even so, he was a fundamental part of the programme, and surely couldn't just be written out in this sudden way. And, like Jacob, she couldn't help feeling it was too much of a coincidence that he had only been told about it this afternoon; it must have something to do with Edward finding them in her suite together this morning. And she wasn't happy about her part in this at all.

'Where does Edward live, Jacob?' she asked him firmly.

Now it was his turn to frown. 'What on earth do you want to know that for?'

'Maybe the two of us should go and talk to him,' she said determinedly, the light of battle in sparkling brown eyes.

If her being with Jacob did have anything to do with this, she intended setting the record straight-as well as telling Edward exactly what she thought of him and his power-games. Her supposed friendship with Jacob was their own affair-and an affair was exactly what Edward believed it to be! - And shouldn't have anything to do with Jacob's professional life.

Jacob shifted in his seat. 'I don't want to him just now,' he muttered. 'The mood I'm in, I might just hit him,' he added disgustedly. 'And after that he would probably make sure I never worked again.'

Hearing the way his words slightly slurred, seeing the slight flush in his cheeks, where the alcohol was taking effect, Bella thought perhaps Jacob might be right about not seeing Edward himself just now.

She had no doubt which man would emerge the victor in any physical fight between Jacob, even stone-cold sober, and Edward would lay the other man out cold.

'Very well.' She nodded briskly. 'Then I'll go and talk to him on my own.' Even as she said the words she felt fluttering of apprehension in the pit of her stomach; she had no desire ever to see Edward again, and was still shaken by her uninhibited response to him this morning.

But if those events of this morning did have some bearing on Jacob being sacked from the series, then she had something to say about it!

Jacob looked at her with brows raised. 'What happened between the two of you this morning after I left?' he asked speculatively.

There was no way she could prevent the colour that entered her cheeks. 'That has nothing to do with this-'

'Doesn't it?' Jacob eyed her consideringly. 'I think perhaps it might,' he said slowly.

So did she, which was why she felt she should at least try to talk to Edward on Jacob's behalf—otherwise she wouldn't ever go near him again.

Edward was a danger to her own peace of mind, affected her in a way she had never been before, reduced her self-control to tatters.

'Just tell me where he lives, Jacob,' she said wearily. 'At least then we'll know whether or not Edward did have something to do with you being axed from the series.'

'Of course he did,' Jacob insisted heatedly.

'He-'

'His address, Jacob,' she cut in. 'You can stay here, if you like, while I go and talk to him.' It shouldn't take too long; a simple yes or no to her question would be sufficient.

Jacob nodded. 'As it happens, I do know where Edward lives, but only because all the cast were invited to a party there at the beginning of the first series.' He scowled.

In other words, the two men weren't usually on social terms. Not that it surprised Bella; the two men seemed to have little in common, except the fact that they were both actors. And the location of Edward's apartment didn't come as any surprise to Bella either when Jacob told it to her; it was in the most prestigious residential part of London.

Jacob was still scowling after he had told her the address. 'I think I'll get myself another drink-'

'Is that a good idea?' Bella reasoned exasperatedly. She could just see the headlines in the newspaper now: 'Axed T.V. star drunk at exclusive hotel!' No, another drink for Jacob wasn't a good idea. 'Go up to my suite.' She handed him the key. 'And wait for me there.' At least this way he might be lucid enough for her to talk to when she got back from seeing Edward. Oh, God….Edward.

She didn't particularly want to go and see the other man herself-her heart was sinking at the thought of it-but what real choice did she have?

'OK,' Jacob agreed—but he looked far from happy with the idea. 'Do you think you'll be long?' He was like a churlish little boy, Bella acknowledge exasperatedly. She was doing this for him, for goodness sake! 'As long as it takes, Jacob,' she snapped, standing up. 'Just go up to my suite and wait for me there.'

She waited in the hotel long enough to see Jacob lurch out of the bar and into the lift, watching the lights go on above the lift to make sure he had the right floor. He obviously did; the lift stopped at the third floor. She shook her head as she walked outside to get a taxi. Jacob was so irresponsible.

But at least he might have sobered up a little when she got back; she had ordered coffee to be sent up to her suite for just that purpose.

Once in the taxi she began to realize exactly what she was doing, that sinking feeling coming back into her stomach. What was she actually going to say to Edward when she got there? They hadn't exactly parted on good terms this morning, and he was going to wonder what on earth she was doing there.

By the time the taxi arrived outside his apartment building, she still didn't quite know how she was going to start the conversation with Edward; a lot of that would depend on Edward's reaction to her being there at all. And, after the things he had said to her this morning, she didn't exactly think he was going to be pleased to see her again. Well, damn him. He couldn't treat Jacob like this just because he was angry with her. _If_ that was the reason he was being so objectionable with Jacob, she reasoned to herself again; wasn't that exactly what she had come here to find out? Prejudging the situation wasn't going to help anything.

Not that Edward was going to be surprised by her standing outside the door of his apartment, she quickly discovered, when she entered the building to find a security man sitting at a desk inside the foyer, obviously placed there for the very purpose of keeping out unwanted guests. Bella's problem was that, after this morning, she had a feeling she might fall into that category.

She should have realized that Edward would choose to live in a place with such security; he could hardly have unwanted fans arriving on the doorstep day and night. Nevertheless, she found it a little intimidating having to give her name to the security man and then wait to see if she was to be given permission to enter.

She pretended an interest in a painting on one of the walls while the man telephoned up to Edward's apartment to tell him of her presence—pretended, because she was actually listening to the security man's side of the conversation.

'A Miss Swan, Mr. Cullen,' the man told him formally. 'Yes. Yes, she is. Very well, Mr Cullen.'

Not exactly enlightening, Bella decided. 'Very well, Mr Cullen'-what? Very well she was to go up to the apartment, or she wasn't?

'You can go up, Miss Swan,' the man informed her lightly.

Thank God for that. She breathed an inward sigh of relief.

How humiliating to be turned away!

The security man smiled at her, seemingly unaware of her nervousness. 'Mr Cullen's apartment is on the top floor.' He indicated the lift across the foyer.

A penthouse apartment, no less. She should have guessed that too, she supposed. And obviously the man on the desk knew she had never been here before tonight, otherwise he wouldn't have needed to tell her which floor Edward's apartment was on.

She still had no idea, as she travelled up in the lift, what she was going to say to Edward when she got there, especially now that he had been warned of her arrival. Although, in truth, he couldn't be any less aware of her purpose in being there than she was of what she was actually going to say.

Stepping straight out of the lift into a reception area with a large round table with a huge vase of flowers in the centre, and four unmarked doors, one in each wall of the room, was not helpful.

Which apartment was Edward's?

'Good evening, Bella.'

She was so startled by the unexpected sound of his voice that she almost dropped her handbag, turning sharply to the right to see him standing in the middle of a corridor she hadn't seen there, so intent had she been on those four unmarked doors.

And there didn't seem to be a door into that corridor, so what….?

'This is the penthouse apartment, Bella,' he drawled, at her obvious confusion.

All of this floor was the penthouse apartment?

But the building was enormous! Which meant this apartment was likewise, she realized resignedly.

She had known from the outset that Edward inhabited a different world from her own, so why should the size of his apartment have come as such a surprise to her? It didn't, if she thought about it logically.

Although it was still a huge apartment for one man….

'I live alone, Bella,' he told her, 'and have done so since my wife died.'

She wished he would stop reading her mind in that way. Was she so damned transparent?

She hoped not, because the sight of him in casual black jeans and a black silk shirt, unbuttoned at the throat, was having a strange effect on her pulse rate, and she was sure her face was flushed with the attraction towards him that she didn't seem to be able to control.

'Come through to the lounge,' he added almost wearily at her wooden silence, indicating she was to precede him down the corridor.

Bella had never seen a room like the large one she entered few seconds later; the chairs and carpet were all cream-coloured, the other furniture all chrome and glass. But it was the outer wall of the room that held her attention, because it was completely made up of glass doors that led out to an illuminated balcony. And even from inside the room she could see London spread out before her, seeming to reflect the starlit sky in a glittering array of lights.

'It's wonderful,' she breathed appreciatively, her gaze riveted on the almost ethereal beauty of the city.

'The estate agent brought me round to view on a night exactly like this four years ago,' he remarked drily from behind her.

Too close behind her for Bella's comfort. She didn't look round to see just how close he was, taking what she hoped was a natural-looking step forward in order to see the view better.

If Edward had moved here four years ago, then it had been after his wife died. No doubt there were too many memories in the home the two of them had shared together. Although Bella sometimes thought that had to a comfort to the person left behind. Obviously Edward wasn't the type of man to need that sort of comfort.

'Let me take your jacket.' He spoke close to her again, and Bella realized he must have moved towards the glass doors with her.

She also realized that she was still wearing the black dress from the photographic session, that she had merely puller on her black jacket over the top of it to come and see Edward. And if she took this jacket off…

'No, I'm fine, thanks…' She had turned sharply as she spoke, and suddenly found herself dangerously close to Edward –so close that it was impossible to look away from the dark green depths of his eyes.

'I'm fine,' she repeated weakly.

God, this was ridiculous. This man had left her hotel at lunchtime today after throwing several more than insulting remarks at her about what he considered to be her questionable morals, and yet she could still feel attracted to him!

She drew herself up stiffly. 'I'm really fine.' She moved away from him to walk over and sit down In one of the cream leather armchairs, crossing one silken leg over the other-and then wishing she hadn't as it drew Edward's gaze to their shapely length.

'I'm here to talk to you about Jacob,' she told him bluntly.

A shutter came down over his eyes, his mouth a thin, disapproving line. 'What about him?'

Ice. Cold, unfathomable ice. This was going to be more difficult that she had imagined.

And she had imagined it as being bad enough!

She drew in a ragged breath. 'I saw him tonight-'

'Your old friend?' Edward cut in tauntingly.

Bella glared at him, brown sparks seeming to flash in her eyes. 'Jacob says he's been axed from _Pilgrim's Game_-'

'Does he indeed?' Edward again interrupted her, this time softly, dangerously. 'What else did he say?' Bella looked at him closely, wondering exactly what she had said to anger him now. And he was angry. Very much so. There was no mistaking the narrowed eyes and firm, uncompromising mouth.

'I-'

'Would you like a glass of wine while we talked about this?' he cut in yet again.' I have a feeling we might both need it.

Bella thought longingly if the glasses of wine back in the hotel bar that she had hardly touched. If she had drunk some of it she might not be shaking quite as badly as she was now. 'A glass of wine would be…nice. Thank you,' she added abruptly.

Edward gave a curt inclination of his head, moving over to a large cabinet that was quickly revealed as a bar, once he had opened the mirrored doors. Bella watched for several seconds as he took a bottle of wine from the cooler and deftly removed the cork before reaching for two glasses.

As he reached upward for the glasses the silk material of his shirt stretched tautly across his back, muscles rippling there, his back, broad and powerful, as were his shoulders.

Bella could remember the pleasure of the feel of that muscled back beneath her fingertips, heat instantly suffusing her body while the memory became more vivid as he bent his head over the task of pouring the wine. Her fingers had been tangled in the dark hair at his nape only hours ago. Oh, God!

'Here.' Edward stood in front of her now, holding out one of the beautiful crystal glasses to her. And somehow Bella knew the choice of golden white wine hadn't been a random one that Edward had remembered she drank only white wine the evening before; he was a man who would forget little.

This made her feel uncomfortable all over again. If she was remembering what had happened between them earlier today, then he must remember it too.

'You're looking very hot,' he remarked softly.

'Perhaps you should take your jacket off after all?'

And reveal even though her back was firmly wedged up against the chair now, that the black dress she wore was positively backless? She didn't think so. I'm fine as I am,' she insisted stubbornly, taking the glass of wine, careful not to come into contact with the lean fingers of his hand as she did so, gratefully swallowing some of the cool liquid.

'It's supposed to be sipped, not thrown back like a glass of beer.' Edward watched her with wry amusement.

She put the glass down awkwardly on the table in front of her, wincing as glass met glass with a loud clinking noise. But luckily she had broken neither the top of the table nor the wine-glass.

'Sorry,' she muttered, a little irritably. Once again she was so completely out her depth with this man, she couldn't help feeling resentful.

He nodded acknowledgement of the apology, moving to sit in the chair opposite hers across the table, cradling his wine-glass in both hands as he looked across at her over its rim. 'You were saying Jacob has told you about the changes in the series….?' He prompted mildly.

Bella didn't trust his mood one little bit. There was something too calm about it, too—too…She didn't know quite what it was; she just knew didn't trust it. The nearest thing she could think of to describe his mood was the calm before the storm, the waiting for a time bomb to go off. Not a very comfortable feeling at all.

She swallowed hard. 'He's naturally very…upset at being dropped from the series,' she said gruffly.

'Naturally.' Edward nodded slowly, the steadiness of that dark green gaze very unnerving on her flushed face.

'I...It's all very sudden,' Bella continued determinedly.

Edward pursed his lips. 'You think so?'

'Well, of course it is.' She was becoming more than a little impatient with his patronizing tone now.

'Jacob is your co-star in the series.'

He nodded again. 'He has been, I'll grant you that.'

This wasn't going at all as she had hoped. Edward was proving very difficult to talk to, giving away nothing himself. Not that she should really have expected anything else. But in the face of his enigmatism, Bella quite simply didn't know how to get around to making any accusations concerning his own part in Jacob being axed.

'Surely it's unusual just to drop the co-star of a series like that?' she persisted, leaning forward to pick up her glass and take another sip of wine. She hadn't had any dinner yet this evening, and she rarely drank wine when she was at home, so the effects of the little she had already drunk were starting to give her some Dutch courage. Why did this particular man unnerve her so? She thought resentfully.

'A little…drastic, I'll grant you,' Edward acknowledged, his gaze still steady as he made no move to drink his own wine but simply looked at her over the top of the glass. It was damned annoying, she decided. And extremely unnerving. 'But it has been done before,' he added with a dismissive shrug.

Bella was sure it had, but possibly the reasons for it having been done before weren't quite the same. 'Jacob believes….' She paused, chewing on her bottom lip. 'And I happen to agree with him-'

'That must be a first,' Edward drawled mockingly. 'I've never known anyone agree with Jacob Black before,' he explained at her questioning look.

Really, this man was impossible. She didn't like Jacob any more than Edward appeared to, but that really wasn't the point at issue here. Though she rarely watched television, even she had seen _Pilgrim's Game_ several times over the couple of years it had been running, and from what she remembered; Jacob played a very good part. He might be an egotistical bored to spend time with, but as an actor he obviously had some talent. Not as much as he thought he did, but, nevertheless, being axed from the series seemed a little drastic.

She drew in a determined breath. 'Jacob seems to think you might have had something to do with his…demise.' She looked at him challengingly.

Edward return her gaze steadily, dark green clashing with brown as he seemed to look into her very soul.

This had been a mistake, Bella decided suddenly. She should never have come here.

It had been ridiculous of her to think for one moment that anything she had to say on this subject would make any impression on Edward; he was obviously a law unto himself.

He sat forward suddenly, putting his own wine glass down beside hers on the table. 'Jacob's right,' he said softly, his narrowed gaze unwavering on her flushed face.

'I have everything to do with his demise from the series.'

Oh, God. Bella briefly closed her eyes. What did she say now?


End file.
